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22 October 2003

Governing Council Seeks World's Support to Build Secure, Stable Iraq

International donor's conference convenes in Madrid October 23-24

By Wendy Lubetkin
Washington File Correspondent

Madrid -- On the eve of a major international conference on the reconstruction of Iraq, the President of Iraq's Governing Council has appealed to donor countries to help a new Iraq "regain its rightful place in the world community."

Dr. Ayad Allawi, who is serving this month as the President of Iraq's 25-member governing council, declared that "a free, secure and stable Iraq is in the interest of all nations and all people."

"None of us want to see Iraq again ruled by a dictatorship, threatening its neighbors and the world," Allawi said speaking at an October 22 press conference just after arriving in Madrid. "After the ravages and mismanagement of the last 35 years a lot of investment and help is needed to cement these objectives and goals."

Allawi is heading a large Iraqi delegation to the October 23-24 International Donor's Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq. The delegation includes five members of the Governing Council and 14 ministers, including the ministers of foreign affairs, planning, the interior, finance, trade, and public works.

The Conference was organized by Spain on behalf of the United States, European Union, Japan and United Arab Emirates in cooperation with the United Nations and other international agencies. Iraqi representatives have been intimately involved in all stages of its preparation.

Over 90 delegations from donor countries and aid agencies are expected to attend. The meeting will open October 23 with addresses from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Spain's Foreign Minister Ana Palacios.

"This is the new Iraq's first chance to present itself to the international donor's community as well as the business community," Allawi said. "My colleagues, members of the governing council and ministers and I represent a new Iraq determined to regain its rightful place in the world community and needful of the world's support and assistance."

Allawi welcomed U.N. Security Council resolution 1511 as a demonstration of the "will of the Council to support Iraq."

"We have come to Madrid looking forward to those political statements being translated into concrete assistance," he added.

Speaking at the same press conference, Dr. Mahdi Al-Hafidh, Minister of Planning, said the Iraqi delegation expects "a good response" from donor countries, but he emphasized that this meeting is just "the start of a process."

Al-Hafidh said Iraqi delegates have recently visited a number of European and Asian countries, "and most of these countries showed deep interest to help Iraq and also in being part of the new arrangements for the international trust fund for assistance for Iraq."

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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